TEHRAN: Iran’s leading reformist challenger to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in upcoming elections vowed yesterday to not only pursue democratic reforms but also stay true to the country’s Islamic values. The comments by former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi were his first since another top reformist candidate, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, pulled out of the race late Monday in a bid to unify the forces seeking to oust Ahmadinejad. “I announce my withdrawal from candidacy ... to preserve unity among the reformist front and to avoid a split of votes,” Khatami said in a statement published yesterday, confirming comments by his allies on Monday.

Meanwhile, Mousavi pledged yesterday to follow the same Islamic values Khatami adheres to in implementing reforms. “Like you, I believe the correct path is reforms that return to (Islamic) principles but refine them,” Mousavi said in a message to Khatami.

His remarks could reflect an effort to give reforms a more Islamic hue in a bid to bridge the gap between reformists and the clerics who rule Iran.

With Khatami out of the race for the June 12 election, Mousavi is seen by many as the candidate with the best chance of defeating Ahmadinejad. His revolutionary credentials are widely expected to help him draw conservatives who have grown disenchanted with Ahmadinejad and the reformist camp is regrouping to support him. The reformists believe they have a strong chance of unseating Ahmadinejad, who came to power in 2005 but has lost popularity because of his handling of the faltering economy among other issues.

Khatami’s pullout also indicated there may be a debate among the reformists over the best strategy for defeating Ahmadinejad. The soft-spoken Khatami said in announcing his pullout that he did not want to split the reformists.

He also praised Mousavi, saying the younger man had the necessary qualifications to bring change to the country and defeat Ahmadinejad.

Mousavi, who announced his candidacy last week, is remembered well by many Iranians for managing the country during the 1980-88 war with Iraq.